Newsletter Announcments

"Always be prepared to give an account of the hope that is within you." 1 Peter 3:16

What a difference a year makes! Just one year ago we were in the middle of construction for our Church's renovation and additions, and now we are putting it to good use. This building truly stands as a testimony to what we as individual members can do when we come together as the body of Christ. It is only because of the generosity of many individuals that this building is a reality.

In these challenging times, we will need this same spirit of generosity to meet the challenge of our annual budget for 2009. At our Annual Meeting, we passed a budget that represents a 17.5 % increase over pledge commitments made in 2008. This is a significant increase largely due to the increased expenses (e.g. insurance, maintenance, utilities, mortgage, etc.) associated with our addition.

The theme for this year's Stewardship Campaign is "I Love to Tell the Story" During the month of October, we invited people to reflect on their story of faith and why it is and what it is that they love about the Gilead Church. One person wrote, "One of the many reasons I love the Gilead Church is that all three of our children attended the Confirmation Class, and were part of the Youth Group. Serving at soup kitchens, going on mission trips, and attending services of other faiths, opened their eyes and hearts to people with different stories. As they have become young adults, it is a blessing to see how they've incorporated the many lessons they have learned at the Gilead Church into how they live their lives."

This commitment to touch and transform lives through the many and varied ministries of the Gilead Church depends on the contribution of our members and friends. Only a small percentage of our funds (less than 5%) come from fundraisers and donations for the use of our building.

For those who like hard numbers, we have approximately 115 pledges who give an average annual pledge of $1,269. With a 2009 pledge budget of $171,490, which is $25,606 above our 2008 pledge commitments of $145,884, simple math suggests that an increase of approximately $222 per pledge (or about $4.25 per week) is necessary. Of course, while not everyone can handle such an increase (some can do that much and even more), it does provide a starting point to address the financial challenge we face. Each individual or family must determine what is right for them to give.

We realize that these are challenging times for us all, as we feel the pressure and anxiety of economic uncertainty. Now, more than ever, we need to support the programs of our church which support children, youth and families with programs that help them to not only survive, but thrive.

While our pledge challenge this year is significant, we are confident that as a church family we can meet it. Over the next few Sundays, we will be hearing from people about their story of faith and what story it is that they love to tell about the Gilead Church. We hope you will join us and that it will help you consider the importance of the Gilead Church in your life and in the lives of so many others.

A letter inviting members and friends to be a part of this campaign will be going out early the week of November 9th. The letter will include a 2009 pledge card. These cards will be dedicated during worship on November 23rd. If you are unable to be with us on that day, please return the card to the church to the attention of our Assistant Treasurer before the 23rd and we will include it in our dedication.

If you have any questions, please speak with a member of our Stewardship Committee: Jeff Haines, Jack Hooker (Chairperson), Paul Miller, Doug Stewart. Thank you!